MOUNT JEWETT — Mount Jewett Mayor Melissa McGuire said on Monday she will not seek another term in office.

McGuire made the announcement during the regular borough council meeting.

“All I can say is that it has been educational; I’ve met some great people, but I want to get back to doing things in the community that I’ve put on hold,” McGuire said.

In other news, resident John Hayduk again addressed council for written or directly communicated reasoning for his dismissal from the maintenance supervisor and sewer plant operator position last November.

“I’ve attended every borough meeting since and have publicly asked council for a reason for this action,” said Hayduk. “I’ve been given no response. Not verbally or written.”

Hayduk went on to request a private session with council to resolve the issue and added that he would release his information publicly and that it “won’t be very good for some people.”

Council provided no response.

Resident Robin Engl-Taylor then addressed council to report drainage issues in her and her neighbors’ yards down Anderson Street believed to be stemming from changes to drainage at the ballfield.

Council president Brett Morgan responded, saying the issue has been ongoing and that council would investigate the matter further during the next few days, citing rainy weather as a good opportunity to trace the water route to a source problem.

Also, resident Brian Sees addressed council with concerns about employee actions on borough time, citing an employee smoking outside the building and alleged work done a personal vehicle.

“We don’t discuss personnel issues during the meeting,” said Morgan. “If you’d like to do it in private, that’s fine. We’re not going to have employees berated in a public meeting.”

Sees then inquired specifically about allegations of car work being done. “Well, what about when borough employees are putting their cars in the garage and somebody’s working on it during borough time? As a taxpayer, I’m asking that.”

Morgan said the work was done on employee time during a break and that using the facilities was considered a “perk” of the job.

Sees went on to ask about the frequency of visitors to the borough office and whether these visits were impacting borough efficiency.

Morgan again responded, saying the borough was open to all residents with concerns or issues that needed addressed and that, even if the nature of the visit was social, as long as the work is getting done in a timely manner he had “no problem with it.”

Following public comment, Morgan and council withdrew to an executive session to discuss personnel and legal issues, returning approximately 15 minutes later to resume the remainder of the meeting.

During the mayor’s report, McGuire commented on several upcoming community events, including the ongoing Friday fish fry dinners being served by Boy Scout Troop #410 at the Mount Jewett Veterans Memorial Club until April 14, and the benefit spaghetti dinner on Saturday night at the Mount Jewett Firehall for Toni Pearson.

McGuire added that she and the personnel committee will be interviewing three applicants for the vacant police position during the coming weeks and that she had still been getting reports of vehicles parked in the wrong direction on side streets.

In other news, borough secretary Barb Harp outlined the need for residents to complete and return surveys being sent out pertaining to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

Harp said the borough needs at least 200 returned responses and at least 51 percent from low to moderate income residents in order to secure grant money for projects within the community.  She said the letters would be sent as soon as the 2017 financial guidelines were received by the McKean County Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

Also, Councilman Steve Hale said the fire department would host a gun bash on May 6 and that tickets were still available. Hale also reported the department would be selling “I Support the Fire Department” t-shirts for $15 dollars each, with all funds going to support equipment purchases. The department will also host a dance for youth ages 10-16 for a $3 cover charge.

Meanwhile, council voted to fill the vacancy on the sewer board.

Council had received two letters of interest for the position from residents Chuck Parr and Robin Engl-Taylor.

Morgan opened the floor for motions to accept one of the applicants, to which Councilman Gene Ginkel motioned to accept Engl-Taylor. With no second, the motion was dropped.  Councilwoman Sara Glover then motioned to accept Parr, followed by a second from Councilman Rod Danielson. All voted in favor except Ginkel.

The next council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. April 3 at the Mount Jewett Borough building at 1 Center St.